


Ten Years

by Gypsyn



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien meets his older self, F/M, Mostly humor, Some angst, Time Travel Shenanigans, Vague mentions of masturbation, implied marriage/sex, mentions of 'past' attempted rape, warnings /hints about the future
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-07-08 06:57:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 16,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15925247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gypsyn/pseuds/Gypsyn
Summary: The older ‘cat noir’ stood tall as he looked from one young hero to the other. His expression curious and amused but not the slightest bit alarmed.The two sixteen-year-old heroes, on the other hand, were both stunned rather speechless.“So, today huh?” he mused, crossing his arms. He looked them over fondly but mostly focused on Ladybug.“Today?” the heroine echoed.“The day I get to meet you both,” the stranger grinned.  “I knew it would have to happen sometime this year, just wasn’t sure on the exact day.”





	1. Chapter 1

The older ‘cat noir’ stood tall as he looked from one young hero to the other. His expression curious and amused but not the slightest bit alarmed.

The two sixteen-year-old heroes, on the other hand, were both stunned rather speechless. Ladybug and her partner stood a good ten feet away _gaping_.

Both ‘Cat Noirs` had a head of messy blond hair and matching electric green eyes but the new arrival was nearly two heads taller than hers with broad shoulders on a well-balanced body. He was lean and muscular in a way that suggested real speed and strength. ladybug wouldn’t have even been able to reach all the way around his ribs if she were to hug him. (although to be fair she _was_ on the small side)

She’d seen _her_ Cat Noir flip over a car with his baton to save civilians before, But this stranger looked like he could have lifted the car up and tossed it aside easily. (In the suit anyway)

But perhaps the most noticeable difference between the two was not height or muscle tone but their faces. While they DID have very similar features (save for the differences that clearly came with their ages) There were two thin pale scars on the man that stretched from beneath his mask and ran over his left cheek just below his eye, one longer than the other.

Despite the positively criminal damage to such a handsome face, he smiled like anything. His eyes sparkling brightly.

“So, _today_ huh?” he mused, crossing his arms. He looked them over fondly but mostly focused on Ladybug.

“Today?” the heroine echoed, sidling closer to her partner with her weapon still drawn. Said partner’s eyes caught hers only briefly before they were drawn back to the older miraculous wielder. (If that was even what he really was.) He soaked in every detail from the way his hair fell, to his suit, to the scars, to the ring on his right hand.

“The day I get to meet you both,” the stranger grinned, his belt tail flicked playfully. “I knew it would have to happen sometime this year, just wasn’t sure on the exact day.”

“Who are you?” interjected ladybug with narrowed eyes.  "There’s only one black cat miraculous, and it’s already been claimed.“

"Claw-ver as always bugaboo,” he winked before taking an elaborate low bow before them with one arm behind his back and the other extended in invitation, his tail curling up behind him gracefully. “Due to some un _furr_ tunate time travel shenanigans, You’re looking at the one and only Cat Noir, ten years older, stronger, wiser, and at your service!”

“Holy SHIT,” the younger Cat Noir breathed.

Ladybug looked from one Cat Noir to the other in dawning horror. “Oh god, you’re STILL doing the cat puns ten YEARS from now?”

The man flashed her a wicked grin and righted himself. “I have it on excellent clawthority that mew LOVE my puns Babybug.”

A look of excitement shot to the young hero’s face  "I knew it!“ Chat crowed, grinning wildly at Ladybug.

She huffed and crossed her arms in defiance. "You must be from some weird alternate universe where puns are somehow funny then,” she sassed back cooly.

“Nope,” was his smooth reply. He indicated toward his apparent younger self.  "Everything your Cat Noir sees and hears _I_ remember. Which means he and I are **definitely** from the same universe.“

And then he leaned in close to her with a sultry smile. "So what do you think of your future ‘partner’ sweetheart?” he cooed in a low rumbling silken voice that practically _oozed_ of sex appeal.

Adrien watched in awed surprise as his supposed future-self made THE Ladybug sputter and blush with just that. Future-Chat then stepped forward, angling toward her so that she stepped back toward her partner as she leaned away.

“What? You didn’t think I’d stay a cute little kitten forever did you _purr_ ecious?” 

“Well I really didn’t think you’d turn into a great big tomcat!” she sputtered indignantly.

“ _Your_ tomcat.~”

She opened her mouth to no doubt say something saucy but was startled out of her train of thought when she bumped into the teen Cat Noir in her retreat. His hands instantly settling on her shoulders as he steadied her. She glanced back at him in surprise.

“Anyway,” future-Chat drawled, flashing an indulgent grin at the two of them as they turned back toward him, one in astonishment the other embarrassment.  "If I remember correctly, you two were in the middle of fighting one of Hawkmoth’s Akuma before I showed up, right?“

"Er, r-right.” Ladybug managed past her moment of flustered mortification, stepping away from her partner.

“Let me lend you a hand then. I’ve got nothing better to do while I’m stuck waiting.”

“That would be great!" Chat agreed eagerly.

"Wait! How do we know you’re telling the truth?” Ladybug was still blushing a little, if only out of embarrassment, but her eyes were hard.

“I can prove it,” he chuckled before nodding to the younger Cat Noir.  "Wanna confirm with me kid?“

 

Her partner nodded and the two quickly excused themselves behind a dumpster around the corner.

"Let’s see,” the man instantly started, once they were safely out of range. “Your name is Adrien Agreste, your father is an _unbelievably_ huge ass, you’re in love with Ladybug…” His grin grew devilish, he leaned forward and stage-whispered, “And you masturbate to her just about every other night. Favorite fantasies include-”

Chat’s hands rapidly slapped over the man’s mouth. Future-Chat gave a snort of laughter at his counterpart’s horrified expression.

“…Chat?” Ladybug called hesitantly.

The teenager swallowed his shock and mortification with a thick gulp, released his smug prisoner to practically sprint back around the corner to Ladybug.

“Chat?”

“He’s confirmed," he informed her, practically spinning her around by the elbows and corralling her toward the street. "let’s go.” 

Ladybug allowed her partner to escort her from the alley, but still glanced back in confusion to see the new Cat Noir follow hers away from the corner grinning wide.  She turned back to her fellow teenager frowning. “What did he say to you?”

“Please don’t ask,” he muttered, turning the corner with her.

From just around the wall, she heard the future-Cat Noir snicker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me on FF.Net here: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3783208/Gypsyn  
> -  
> I'm on Tumblr here: https://gypsin.tumblr.com/  
> and here: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punapurreciator (if you want my Miraculous Ladybug blog)  
> -  
> My Deviantart page is here: https://gypsyn13.deviantart.com/


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Future stuff,” The time traveler interrupted, casually throwing over the tainted object to Ladybug. She only barely managed to catch it. “Wouldn’t wanna spoil EVERY surprise you’ve got waiting along the way.”

The fight was SHORT.  In all likelihood the shortest they’d ever had with an Akuma.

The three of them had simply tracked down Bigtime Brawler (which wasn't difficult considering his size) and in _minutes_ future _-_ Chat had slipped into the shadows on a _wall_ , reappeared in the shadow of the Akuma and landed a sucker punch that knocked the villain clean off his feet.

He then whipped around with a roundhouse kick that threw Brawler back into a building so hard that the literal _boxing Akuma_  was KOed.

Ladybug and her partner stared at the scene in slack-jawed amazement. It all happened so fast you could have _blinked_ and missed it. That's exactly how they DID miss him getting the possessed item and rejoining them on the roof.

“Here you are Babybug!” Future Chat drawled, stepping away from the wall like he’d never left the rooftop to begin with.

Both young heroes jumped in surprise and turned wide eyes on him.

“Holy SHIT,” Chat uttered breathlessly for the second time that night. Normally Ladybug might have elbowed him for that (children look UP to us Chat!) But she seemed to agree with the sentiment. “How on EARTH did you DO that??”

“What even WAS that?” Ladybug asked equally breathless, either from the run over or sheer shock.

“Shadow walking. It’s a more advanced Cat Noir move.”

“Do I get any **_more_ ** cool moves like that?! What about Ladybug? Does _she_ -?”

“Future stuff,” The time traveler interrupted, casually throwing over the tainted object to Ladybug. She only barely managed to catch it. “Wouldn’t wanna spoil EVERY surprise you’ve got waiting along the way.”

Teen-Chat pouted but Ladybug only narrowed her eyes and nodded. In a few swift movements, the item was broken and the Akuma captured. Future-Chat was stretching his arms over his head and rolling his neck as Ladybug bid the purified butterfly farewell and threw up her lucky charm to summon a miraculous cure.

 

"Welp, that's TWO fights I've been in today now and I doubt Plagg's very impressed with me SO how about we split up to go eat and meet up again later?” Future-Chat proposed once he’d finished working out an apparent kink in his neck.

The teens glanced at each other. "Plagg?" Ladybug whispered to her partner.

"My Kwamii," the boy supplied.

"Wanna come with me kid?" The man asked cheerfully. "I'll detransform first of course."

Ladybug seemed unsettled by the proposition. Her partner could see her brows furrow distrustfully. But he only gave her an encouraging sort of smile and shrugged.

“If it's a trap it's a good one,” he assured.

“Somehow that doesn't make me feel _better_ ,” she grumbled back.

“Well, even if he isn't me he still _clearly_ knows who I am.  De-transforming isn't going to put me at any further disadvantage.”

“Except take away your armor and your powers,” she half mocked.

“Cynical as ever Babybug,” future Chat grinned.

“It’ll be fine,” her partner coaxed insistently. “If anything happens I’ll just retransform and duck away to call you. I haven’t even used my cataclysm yet.”

“...I guess,” she sighed reluctantly. “Just... be careful okay? If anything happens, _call_ me.”

“Course.”

 

She walked away, only to stop at the end of the rooftop and flash her partner one last look of hesitation before swinging away.

“Sorry about that. She can be…"

The man cut him off with a laugh. “OH, I know all about _that_ believe me.”

“Right, forgot.”

"It's in her nature to be careful with things like this," he shrugged off good-naturedly. "And _trust_ me it's a GOOD thing. Her caution and quick thinking have and WILL end up saving you both a LOT. She’s got good instincts, even if it does make her come off as a _bit_ rude."

Chat flashed his older self a _look_.

“Okay maybe a LOT rude,” he amended sheepishly. “But she puts up with our jealous moments so there’s maybe not much room to talk about personal flaws.”

Copycat came to mind and he winced. “...Fair enough.”

“Right. So... food?” he prompted again hopefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me on FF.Net here: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3783208/Gypsyn  
> -  
> I'm on Tumblr here: https://gypsin.tumblr.com/  
> and here: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punapurreciator (if you want my Miraculous Ladybug blog)  
> -  
> My Deviantart page is here: https://gypsyn13.deviantart.com/


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pair quietly dropped off into an alley and as promised, Future Chat dropped his transformation first.

The pair quietly dropped off into an alley and as promised, future-Chat dropped his transformation first.

There was the flash of green light and standing there in the aftermath was a handsome blonde man in his mid twenties. Lean, muscular build like an athlete, dark designer jeans, a black and white print t-shirt, a sleek black leather jacket and combat boots.

With the scars and leather jacket _alone_ he looked like a badass. The kind of guy he could imagine fitting right in on a late night club scene.

If Adrien walked out of his house tomorrow wearing those clothes, his father would have lost his MIND. But his future self clearly got to wear whatever he wanted. It was an empowering realization.

At the tail end of the transformation, his future-self held out his hands and caught an exceedingly familiar black furball who let out an even _more_ familiar whine of “Oooooh, I'm starving!”

Some things never changed he guessed.

Adrien grinned and followed suit, dropping his transformation while _Future_ Adrien preoccupied himself with digging through his inner jacket pockets for cheese.  

“Oooooh, I'm star-”

 

The two Plagg’s looked at each other with identical startled expressions for all of one second and then _hissed._ Electric green eyes narrowed and tiny fangs bared.

Adrien blinked at the two Kwamii’s reactions.

“He doesn't like sharing cheese,” The man explained with an unimpressed shrug. “Apparently not even with _himself_.”

 

 _Well_... that made sense. ...Somewhat. In a very _Plagg_ sort of way. After all, What bigger cheese thief was there than the kwamii himself?

 

Adrien quickly got out some of his own camembert to hand over to his respective Kwamii and ushered him away in a shirt pocket before turning back to the enigma that was his future self. The man finished hiding away his own Kwamii and tilted his head toward the alley exit.

“Let's go, I’ll pay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me on FF.Net here: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3783208/Gypsyn  
> -  
> I'm on Tumblr here: https://gypsin.tumblr.com/  
> and here: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punapurreciator (if you want my Miraculous Ladybug blog)  
> -  
> My Deviantart page is here: https://gypsyn13.deviantart.com/


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So... I’ve gotta ask."  
> Future Adrien’s expression reluctantly sobered. "The scars right?"  
> "Y-yeah."

They found an old cafe to duck into and were soon in one of the more secluded booths with the promise of a server taking their order shortly.

“SO, what's been going on recently? It’s crazy the stuff you forget after ten years.”

Adrien laughed. “You sound like an older brother that’s been gone forever.”

“That's kinda how I feel,” he grinned awkwardly. “Still a little weird seeing you as _myself_. Feels more like I’m meeting an apprentice Cat Noir or a missing little brother. It’s like my brain almost refuses to acknowledge what our real relationship is. Better than us seeing each other and going crazy like in the movies I guess.”

Adrien grinned. “I've always wondered what having siblings was like.”

“Well I don't mind playing big brother Agreste for a while,” he grinned back. “So seriously, what's been happening? how are you at school right now? What's the status with Father dearest?”

Adrien laughed. “Let's see, I haven't really _seen_ father for about a month now. He’s been taking a lot of trips lately. When he IS home he doesn't want to be disturbed. And thankfully, Akuma attacks have actually been really light lately so I've gotten a lot of studying done and my grades are back up.”

“And the late night patrols?” he grinned knowingly.

“I’m not stopping those.” The teen instantly defended. “They keep me SANE.”

He rose his hands defensively, a grin splitting wide. “Like I could possibly  judge you on that.”

“Oh... Right.”

“If anything, I’d say feel free to sneak out MORE.”

“That’s SO not the responsible thing to tell a sixteen-year-old boy.”

His future-self let out a loud genuine laugh at that.

It was hard to picture ANYONE looking quite that happy with a face that looked like someone had dragged claws down it.

It was ESPECIALLY hard to picture _himself_ being that strong and confident. Up until now, his appearance had been EVERYTHING. His father’s main concern, his job, the source of his fame. Take that away and what did he really have left?

 

"So... I’ve gotta ask."

Future Adrien’s expression reluctantly sobered. "The scars right?"

"Y-yeah."

He sighed and propped up his chin on a fist, looking at his counterpart with some degree of solemn consideration. "Why do you need to know?" His voice was no longer amused. He sounded like an impartial interviewer.

Adrien squirmed in his seat at the shift in tone. "Well I mean..." he started off uncertainly. "I guess I don't NEED to but... It does sort of mean an end to modeling huh?"

The corner of his mouth twitched up in a tiny smile. "Yes, thank goodness."

Adrien looked at him surprised. "So... You don't work for Father? Then what are you doing now?"

“Better for you to figure that out on your own,” he shrugged. “Don't worry about it, everything works out fine.”

The teen reluctantly nodded but his eyes still returned to his older version’s left cheek.

The man sighed again.  "Look. It’s not a fun story, and it's going to happen whether I tell you or not. It's honestly better if you don't have to spend the next however many years dreading it."

“...I think even If you don't tell me I'll already be dreading it.”

“...Right,” he sighed. “Well, I guess sparing myself the worry was never really in the cards anyway. BUT I'll only tell you if you promise to not to feel sorry for yourself when it happens OR let Ladybug blame herself. And you can't warn ANYONE ahead of time either. That'll just mess up the timeline.”

The teenager reluctantly nodded.

 

“Well... sometime within the next few years there's... A rough Akuma attack. Afterward, Ladybug ends up detransforming down an alley in a bad part of town. She's unarmed,  exhausted and her Kwamii has no food. You end up losing your own transformation about a block and a half away.”

Adrien watched his future self's eyes harden to glinting emeralds as he stared off to the side, lost to the memory. "Three men stumble on her there and corner her."  

The eyes that settled back on Adrien's were solemn burning green.

"You won't get a chance to recharge beforehand," he warned softly. "By the time you hear her screaming they've already started cutting her shirt off."

Adrien's heart leapt into his throat as the image lept unbidden into his mind. His normally fearless partner helpless and scared, fighting, _screaming_ in some dark alley while strange men grabbed at her. His hand locked on his side of the table with a vice grip as bile fought its way up at the horrifying idea.

"You end up taking on three, armed, fully grown men mostly by yourself with no powers. If you fight hard enough, you’ll win, but there's no walking out of that alley in one piece.”

“Does she get hurt?!”

“A fractured ankle, and a few scratches from her belly button to her collarbone where they tried to cut off her clothes and she fought. Otherwise, she’ll be fine.” He winced and backtracked a bit. “Well, Ya know, except for seeing you get hurt. She still has nightmares about that.”

“...And I can't warn her at all?”

“You can both take self-defense classes and insist she find safer places to detransform and to carry hidden weapons like I did. And that might have helped prevent it from happening more than the _one_ time, but... sooner or later she hits a choice of transforming in **that** alley or out in the open and its… it's just not a _choice_ . Not with as ruthless as Hawkmoth becomes. If she'd compromised her identity then he would have _killed_ her.”

He shook his head. “I could _never_ risk that. Not over a few dumb scars. Heaven knows  I’d have given a lot _more_ than that to make sure she came out of it okay.”

Adrien nodded sympathetically.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me on FF.Net here: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3783208/Gypsyn  
> -  
> I'm on Tumblr here: https://gypsin.tumblr.com/  
> and here: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punapurreciator (if you want my Miraculous Ladybug blog)  
> -  
> My Deviantart page is here: https://gypsyn13.deviantart.com/


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Sorry, I remember how frustrating it was to be told that. If I weren't worried about screwing up my chance to defeat my arch enemy and marry the girl of my dreams I might’ve been more forthcoming with that information.”
> 
> “It’s fine. You told me more than I’d-” Adrien whipped his head up. “Wait, marry?!

“What would you like to drink to start you off?” A pretty young lady in an apron asked as she walked up to the table. She eyed the twenty-six -year-old version of him with particular interest. Her face breaking out in a blush as he turned to the girl with a hastily thrown on smile.

“A water for me please,” “Water please,” the two answered together.

She nodded. “Do you two know what you'd like to eat yet?”

Future-Adrien cast a cursory glance over the menu and quickly decided for the two of them. “Two specials please.”

Normally, someone ordering for him without his input would have annoyed the teen. But he found that in this particular instance he didnt mind much. It wasn't like he had been paying attention to the _menu_ since they'd arrived, and funnily enough, it WAS still technically his own choice.

“H-how would you like those cooked sir?” the girl asked shyly.

“Both medium rare I think.”

“Right, and um, together or separate?”

“One ticket. I promised to treat my little brother here.” His future-self flashed a childishly big grin and reached over the table to ruffle his hair up with a laugh. Adrien snorted and pushed the hand off, sending a mock glare.

The waitress grinned at the act and nodded before taking down the order. “I’ll get that right out for you two.”

“Thank you.”

 

After the woman left, He dropped the smile, his expression shifting to something more relaxed and thoughtful.

“...I’ll give you another warning while I’m at it,” he said after a moment, startling his counterpart into looking back at him.  “Father CANNOT find out that you're Cat Noir. No matter _what_ happens.”

“Did he find out with _you_?”

“No. I got the same warning I'm giving you now.  But hindsight is fifty-fifty and I know the warning helped ME out so I’m passing it on just in case.”

Adrien frowned. “What happens if he does find out?”

“I don't know. I have suspicions, but it's better if I don't share.”

“…”

He sighed. “Sorry, I remember how frustrating it was to be told that. If I weren't worried about screwing up my chance to defeat my arch enemy and marry the girl of my dreams I might’ve been more forthcoming with that information.”

“It’s fine. You told me more than I’d-” Adrien whipped his head up. “Wait, **_marry_**?!

“Er…” His future-self was staring back with the most caught out expression he’d ever seen on an adult in his _life_.

“I **_marry_ ** _Ladybug_?!” Adrien whisper-yelled, only barely conscious of the other people in the restaurant. “ _She’s_ \- As in the _white dress_ ??, and the _cathedral_ ??, and, **_and_ ** -”

“I never said it was Ladybug!” the man quickly attempted to dissuade.

“You just said the girl of your dreams! You _can’t_ convince me you don't mean Ladybug!!”

 

His future-self took a moment to process his scattered thoughts, then leaned back against the cheap pleather seat, looked up at the ceiling, and _groaned_.

“This is some top-notch entertainment right here,” present-Plagg snickered softly from his chosen’s shirt.

“Doesn’t get any less funny the second time,” future-Plagg replied with a matching sound of mirth.

“Well, I’m glad _someone_ finds this funny!” future-Adrien growled under his breath at the two hidden Kwamii. “I might have just screwed up the whole freaking timeline!”

“Nah kid you’re good,” his own Kwamii brushed off. “I remember you spilling the beans last time too. All it does is make the shrimpy you go more starry-eyed over your  _Bugaboo_ than usual. This is too close to the reveal for him to do any **real** damage.”

“So I **do** ??? I marry _Ladybug_ ?? **THE** LADYBUG???”

The man hesitated for a moment.

 

“...Well, _I_ did.”

The teen practically _melted_ in his seat at the grumbled confirmation. The heart's already in his eyes at the idea and a positively dopey grin plastered across his face.

 

“Oh geez," his future self half-laughed half-sighed. "And this is when I didn't even know who she _was_ yet. How on earth did you put up with me after the reveal Plagg? I must have driven you **nuts**.”

“Eh, you weren't the first Black Cat to go gaga over a Ladybug. But let's get something straight here kid, I’m STILL putting up with your sappy lovesick nonsense.”

“You telling me this mushy stuff doesn't get toned down at ALL after the reveal?” present-Plagg demanded in a hiss from the teen's shirt pocket.

“It gets _worse_ ,” the other reassured with a sound of disgust. “Wait till they’re dating. A _crowbar_ couldn’t have pried those two off each other. And all the sneaking into each other's rooms at night, bleh!”

The boy currently melting in the booth sank down even further, pressing his hands to his red face with a soft keening whine.

 

His future-self glowered down at his jacket clad chest.

“Are you just about **done** Plagg?!”

“Well... I **_was_**. But short you is making a pretty funny noise.”

“HEY, break your own kid!” hissed the teen's shirt pocket. “ _I’m_ the one who has to deal with all the mooning once you clear out!”

“You're quiet nights are numbered anyway.” future-Plagg informed himself dryly. “You might as well get a laugh or two out of it while you can.”

The other kwamii went quiet with only a reluctant sound of consideration.

 

“The thought of you two working together is _terrifying_ ,” future-Adrien groaned. “Can you at LEAST wait until we aren't in public before you start trying to break my mind at sixteen? _Please_???”

There was a matching pair of soft huffs that he took for agreement (or at the very least a temporary truce), just in time for him to catch sight of the waitress heading back with their drinks.

She passed a curious look over at the pleased and embarrassed teen and blinked up at ‘his older brother’ in confusion.

He waved it off as she came closer. “We were just talking about his new girlfriend,” he lied, flashing a charming grin. “You know how it is at that age.”

 

The young lady instantly smiled in understanding and lowered the glasses to the table. She probably would have normally left it there and gone back to the kitchen or checked on the other guests but she lingered a little.

“Speaking o-of girlfriends…” she murmured, her expression shy and hopeful.

The teen looked up from his hands in barely hidden alarm. But the man just looked up attentively, if a bit resigned.

“I was… um… wondering if you were m-maybe single?”

His reply was immeadiate. “Sorry, I’m married.”

He offered a carefully sheepish smile and lifted up his left hand as proof. Sure enough, sitting there on his ring finger was a beautiful golden band with a nearly unnoticeable swirling design across the surface. Adrien half swooned on the spot. It was a struggle not to fall over.

Did _she_ pick that out??? For _him_??? Or did they pick their rings out together? Did hers match??

 

But the poor waitress flinched slightly at the sight and drew her notepad to her chest looking guilty. “Oh! U-um I’m sorry!”

“It’s fine!” he reassured pleasantly. “I’m very flattered. And I know It takes a lot of guts to put yourself out there and ask. I wish _my_ lovely Lady had been that direct with me when we started out.” he grinned a little knowingly. “She was a _bit_ shy in the beginning.”

Adrien gave his future self a confused glance. **_Was_** Ladybug just shy?

The girl seemed to relax ever so slightly but her voice was still soft. “I understand how that is. I-I’m not typically the kind of girl to ask for numbers or hand mine out but… leaving it to other people is a good way to lose opportunities so I'm t-trying to put myself out there a little more.”

“Very brave of you,” he encouraged with a more genuine smile.

“Thank you,” she murmured back gratefully.  “A-Anyway I’ll go check on your food.” And with that, the girl quickly left. She didn't quite flee but she was clearly a bit embarrassed and ready for some space.

“She seems sweet,” he commented once she was out of sight.

Adrien, however, seemed to have suffered another strange moment of clarity. “I just watched _myself_ get hit on by a stranger.”

The man laughed. “Yeah, it’s been a weird day.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next update will be next weekend! (Sept 14th) So look forward to it!  
> In the meantime, tell me what you think!
> 
> This fic could be 9 to 11 chapters long honestly depending on how I split the chapters.  
> \---
> 
> You can find me on FF.Net here: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3783208/Gypsyn  
> -  
> I'm on Tumblr here: https://gypsin.tumblr.com/  
> and here: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punapurreciator (if you want my Miraculous Ladybug blog)  
> -  
> My Deviantart page is here: https://gypsyn13.deviantart.com/


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He leaned in toward Ladybug and grinned, whispering playfully. “What do you say Babybug? Got a bakery rooftop to volunteer? A lawn lounger with a view? Maybe a nice comfy chaise by the window?”
> 
> She pulled back with a look of alarm. Her teenaged partner blinked at the expression but didn't seem to have caught all the words, if he did catch a few he obviously couldn’t make much sense of them.
> 
> “You know..?” she hissed back.
> 
> The man snorted a short laugh. “You expected anything less after ten years?” His smile somehow became even broader. “So about that lounger…”

Once the food was gone, the deceptively normal looking pair suited up in the alley and went to go meet Ladybug at Notre Dame. She was waiting there for them, her expression still uncertain and worried.

“I don't think the situation could get any more confirmed LB,” her partner quickly reassured, striding toward her as soon as his boots touched down on the roof.  “We have the same _Kwamii_.”

She finally relaxed a little at that but didn't uncross her arms. “It’s still weird.”

“Nobody’s going to argue with you on THAT,' future-Chat agreed with a laugh.

“So what sent you back then?” she asked a little more gently now. “An Akuma?”

“Something like that," he replied vaguely. “It’s complicated.”

“How do we get you back home?”

“You don't. Unfortunately, I have to wait it out.”

She frowned. “How are you so... _Calm_?”

“I’m the future version of your Cat Noir,” he drawled with a shrug. “I remember being in his shoes looking up at this version of myself and just thinking _'Well,_ there go my good looks'.”

He gave a wry grin at her partner’s sudden sheepish expression.

“And because I already know what's going to happen, I know the wait isn’t going to be very long. Just till tomorrow evening when MY Ladybug comes to pick me up.”

He leaned against the railing. “It’s just going to take her some time to figure out that I need rescuing and where to start looking.”

“Why? Wouldn't she have noticed you were gone pretty quickly?”

“She's on temporary heroine leave at the moment, so no. I don't think she’s aware I’m gone yet.” He stopped and seemed to reconsider the statement. “ _Or_ if she is, she’s only JUST found out,” he amended.   

“Is she _sick_?” Chat inquired, flashing his partner a worried glance.

“That's really in the category of 'future stuff' but I _will_ say that what’s going on with her in my time is not permanent OR serious. I'm just making her take some well deserved time off for a few months.”

“Months???” Chat gaped. “And she went ALONG with that??”

Ladybug shot him a wry look at the incredulous tone.

“Well she wasn't _happy_ about it but she's sensible enough. Besides I'm more than capable of carrying a bit of extra work.”

It was ladybug’s turn to be incredulous. “So you're out fighting _alone_ then?” Her tone was _clearly_ disapproving.

“Not really, we have allies now. They've helped me out where I need it while you’ve been relaxing.”

Chat perked excitedly at that. “Allies?? Does that mean more heroes are going to show up?”

“Future stuff,” he waved off to the teen’s mild disappointment. “All that’s important is that I’ll be off your hands tomorrow. I just need somewhere to crash for the night.”

He leaned in toward Ladybug and grinned, whispering playfully. “What do you say Babybug? Got a bakery rooftop to volunteer? A lawn lounger with a view? Maybe a nice comfy chaise by the window?”

She pulled back with a look of alarm. Her teenaged partner blinked at the expression but didn't seem to have caught all the words, if he did catch a few he obviously couldn’t make much sense of them.

“You _know_..?” she hissed back.

The man snorted a short laugh. “You expected anything less after _ten years_?” His smile somehow became even broader. “So about that lounger…”

“No,” she glared. “You can go home with _yourself_ dummy.”

“That sounded dirty in a weird way, Princess.”

“I mean it!” she hissed. “You’re **not** following me home!”

“I guess I expected as much,” he mock sighed, letting the other teen back in on the conversation. But just like that, his grin snapped back into place with a feral edge.  “So I guess you’ll have to make it up to me tomorrow at breakfast huh Princess?”

She sputtered in indignation as her partner’s eyes grew wide with surprise.

“No I do NOT!” she argued on a growl.

“I just got thrown back _ten_ ** _years_** and you won’t even invite a poor cat over for breakfast Bugaboo?” he pled with a surprisingly effective pout. “I’m stressed!” he groused melodramatically. “I fought **twice** today and had to answer a ton of questions! I need mama bug’s home cooking so all my fur doesn't fall out and go grey! Men my age could have heart attacks over stuff like this! Or strokes!!! I’ll _diiiiie-_ "

"FINE FINE FINE   **FINE** ,” she chanted, visibly wincing at the whiney pitch to his voice. “You _clearly_ already know where I live _anyway_ , Just PLEASE stop using Chat’s kitten eyes for evil and _whining_ at me.”

He straightened up and smiled, polite as anything, then looked back at his younger self with a cat ate the canary grin. “I hope you were taking notes.”

The teen nodded hard and flashed his partner a matching grin.

“GOD my future self must really have her hands full with you,” she blurted out, mock glaring at them both and looking a little frazzled.

The man laughed hard at that. “Oh, you have no _idea_ sweetheart.”

\---

They kept their little meeting short so both teens could finally get back home before their households could discover them missing and call the cops.

Bigtime brawler had first shown up around eight, but It was getting close to eleven now. Fewer people were walking around and a lot of the store and restaurant windows were going dark.

The two Cat Noirs ran silently through the city, but Just before the final jump to Adrien’s window his older-self stopped on the building across the street and stood still, frowning at the mansion they'd both grown up in.

It was the second time Chat had seen his future-self look _this_ serious.

"...I’m not sure if this is a good idea," the man intoned softly.

"Why not? Natalie hasn't barged into my room without warning for a couple of years now. Unless they KNOW you’re inside, it should be safe."

“So long as I’m here I’ll be tempted to go in and punch dear old dad in the face,” he growled under his breath.

The younger Chat shrank a little. “ _Why_?”

“Because he’s a dirtbag that deserves a good beating for what he’s going to do.  And I’m the idiot that’s tempted to change it.”

The teen stared at him with wide horrified eyes. “What does he do?!”

“I can’t say.”

 

The pair stared down at the mansion a bit longer before the man sighed and leaned onto his extended baton.

“When I left... I promised myself no looking back. I’ve never _needed_ to look back... Till now.”

Adrien’s heart _sank_.

He already knew those feelings existed somewhere deep down. But hearing them from his future-self struck a painful chord. And now he knew those feelings weren’t going to go away. Things weren't going to get better with his father. It was hopeless. And he was still going to have to live here and wait another _two years_ before he could finally leave too.

His future-self cast him a quick solemn glance. "...I guess I can endure it one more night. Maybe it'll help me appreciate just how good I’ve got it now. Besides, Plagg'll be the drama queen of the _century_ if I just willingly walk away from his beloved camembert."

The man vaulted for the window, and only a moment or two later the teen followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next update will be next weekend! (Sept 21st) So look forward to it!  
> In the meantime, tell me what you think!
> 
> \---
> 
> You can find me on FF.Net here: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3783208/Gypsyn  
> -  
> I'm on Tumblr here: https://gypsin.tumblr.com/  
> and here: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punapurreciator (if you want my Miraculous Ladybug blog)  
> -  
> My Deviantart page is here: https://gypsyn13.deviantart.com/


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boy glanced over and finally asked, “...Hey, what’s my real home going to be like? In the future?”

The twenty-six-year-old looked around the room as if he were walking through a well-worn nightmare. Shadows from the steel window frames fell over him in the moonlight. In the suit, he looked strange against the background of his crisp clean bedroom. But he supposed Cat Noir always looked a bit out of place.  Except perhaps on a rooftop.

“We could watch tv or something if you’re tired?” the boy asked, unsure of how to comfort an older version of himself in what was apparently an upsetting situation.

“I haven't had to sleep alone in years,” his future-self sighed miserably, staring down at the couch.

Suddenly he was very  _irritated_. “And I've never slept with anyone else around  **ever,** ” Adrien snapped back. “Don't make me miss what I never had!”

“...Sorry,” he murmured remorsefully after a moment. “Just a little homesick.”

He sounded contrite enough that the teen relaxed and nodded his forgiveness. “Sounds more like a  _lot_ homesick.”

The man uttered a soft “Claws in,” but said nothing else. His kwamii, now free, was shockingly quiet as he came to sit on his chosen’s shoulder. An expectant green gaze settled on the teen.

Adrien dropped his transformation as well, then went to take a seat on his bed.

“I am NOT sharing my cheese!” Plagg hissed as soon as he was free to float around. The other kwamii snickered.

But he paid little attention to the destructive spirit’s protest as he watched his future-self silently take up a spot on the couch. He honestly looked almost physically sick without the mask.

“Plagg don't be a pain,” the boy sighed. “You’re only making it difficult for  _yourself_.“

“I DON'T share!!!”

“Do it and I’ll get you the cheese to make up the difference and then some okay??”

“The kwamii gave his teenaged charge a halfhearted glare but seemed to be thinking about it.

“Final offer,” he growled. The cat narrowed his eyes but begrudgingly sighed and headed toward the mini fridge, the other following behind smugly.

“...So… Tv?” Adrien tried meekly. He really didn't know what else to say or do.

“Sorry, I just don't feel like it,” he murmured.

Adrien sighed and laid back on the bed not even bothering to redress for bed, It was getting too late anyway. He folded his arms under his head.

They laid there in silence for a long time trying to fall asleep. When that failed, the boy glanced over and finally asked, “...Hey, what’s my  _real_ home going to be like? In the future?”

The man was quiet for a long time, just staring at the windows. Adrien could see his reflection on the glass. He was expecting to find him asleep, but his eyes were open. He wondered if he was going to be ignored.

... _Probably_.

The teen rolled over to his back and sighed.

 

“...The house is a lot smaller than this one,” the man revealed quietly. 

Adrien glanced back toward the couch.

“But it's warm and cozy. Ma-  _Ladybug_ and I had a lot of fun picking out the furniture and putting the place together on our own. About half the things we picked don't quite match... But that just makes the place feel more like it's  _ours_. Not something out of a magazine ad.”  

A smile had crept onto the Adriens face as he tried to imagine it.

“...It smells like her everywhere,” he reflected fondly. “The couch in the living room, the bedsheets, her shampoo in the bathroom... And she's a grade A cook who loves spoiling me so there's always the smell of something delicious in the kitchen…”

His volume increased very slightly as he got into the description. “When she's working on a project she leaves her things all over the floor and I always end up playing some weird version of hopscotch just to get across the room while she laughs.

And when I'm having a bad day or I’m just not feeling good she drops everything to take care of me and give me attention even if it’s something little. I remember  _one_ time I was so sick and miserable that she sang herself hoarse for me because I was delirious with a fever and wanted to hear her voice.”  

He sighed a long lovesick sigh. Then murmured, “I don't know what I’d do without her.”

Adrien’s heart  _soared_. It seemed his 26-year-old self's definition of home revolved mostly around a certain pretty heroine. And it was everything he had ever  _longed_  for.

“...We recently started remodeling our guest bedroom,” The man revealed after a moment of contemplation. “Now on quiet days, she likes to sit in there by  herself just to soak it in.” He flashed a soft, secretive smile that Adrien only barely caught reflected in the window. “I sit in there with her too sometimes... It’s... really something.”

Adrien frowned in confusion. “You two remodeled so you just go sit in there and do nothing?”

“You’ll see," he promised. "It’s a surprise.”

\---

After that, Adrien redoubled his efforts for sleep. But even his burning eyes and a mild headache weren't enough to push through the thoughts still bouncing around his head.

The man sighed.

“...If you have more questions just get them out,”

Adrien was no longer surprised at his thoughts being addressed out loud but it was still slightly unsettling.

“You've been a lot more vocal about the future than I would  have expected.”

“I sort of have to be if I want this timeline to stick."

“Must be difficult.”

The man shrugged. “A lot of it’s only saying the things I **know** won’t change no matter what. The thing with the scars? Even If you ran out _right now_ to warn her, sooner or later that alley is going to be the only thing between her and Hawkmoth, and even If I told you that you’d be running to your own _death_ you'd still go in to save her.  I know. I _lived_ it."

Adrien silently considered that.

"Obviously I don't remember _everything_ I was told in your position," he went on, "So it's not like I'm going off a script, That would probably be a lot harder for me to pull off. Thankfully, a lot’s happened to me since I was sixteen. Things even crazier than getting sent back in time a decade.”

“Like marrying ladybug,” his kwamii teased with a fanged grin. “You know, planning the  _wedding_? Buying the rings?   _Honeymoon_ night?”

The teen went ridged from head to toe, staring at Future-Plagg with something like nervous pleading.  

“ _ **That**_ sounded pretty crazy from the next room over," he went on mercilessly "With all that screaming and moaning anyone would have thought you two were trying to bring down the house.”

“ _ **Plaaaagg**_ ,” his chosen groaned.

“We aren't in public,” the kwamii replied primly.

“Plagg you are officially  ** _evil_**.”

“It’s your fault for making this so funny. Besides, you  **owe** me.”

 **“Plagg**  you and Tikki have your own _fully stocked_ private _fridge_ in your own _bedroom_ on the other side of the _house_ ,” the man growled. “So if-"

“Last Call,” the Kwamii interrupted.  

His chosen automatically stiffened, flushed, and looked up innocently at the wall.

“Do I even  _want_ to know?” the other Plagg half-groaned half-whined.

“Booze Akuma,” his double snorted, looking his chosen over wryly. “Turns out  _this_ kid’s a  _fun_ drunk that lets Ladybug, aka little miss  _horny_ drunk start things in the suit.”

Adrien made a loud strangled noise and crushed a pillow over his face as about a hundred fantasies slammed through his head at once. Ladybug drunkenly dragging him into a corner to make out, Ladybug pinning him to a wall, Ladybug trailing kisses down his neck and clumsily dragging her hands over his chest and down,  _down_... 

The teen pressed the pillow down tighter and swallowed the urge to _scream_ in frustration. 

A long-suffering groan echoed him followed by a softly muttered. " _Y_ ou're _NEVER_ going to let that go are you?"

"Never," Plagg’s nasally voice agreed.

The teen let out a stunned whine into the pillow he was attempting to smother himself with. How on EARTH was he  _ever_ going to look his partner in the eye after this????

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a couple hours later than I'd promised (at least in my area)  
> Next update will be in two weeks. (Oct 5th) I'm getting to the last few chapters that have the least done on them.  
> Till then tell me what you guys think!  
> \---  
> You can find me on FF.Net here: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3783208/Gypsyn  
> -  
> I'm on Tumblr here: https://gypsin.tumblr.com/  
> and here: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punapurreciator (if you want my Miraculous Ladybug blog)  
> -  
> My Deviantart page is here: https://gypsyn13.deviantart.com/


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh don't worry. You, Nino, Alya and Marinette are in it for the long haul.”
> 
> He perked at that news, obviously deeply pleased with the information. “Marinette too?” he asked hopefully.

After the Kwamis had been banished to the upper floor for the sake of their chosen’s sanity the two laid in silence for a while. If sleep had been difficult to manage before it was  _impossible_  now.

A change in subject was clearly in order.

“It’s insane how much the scars seem to bother you,” his future-self voiced, seemingly at random. He paused a moment, considering something. “...Bothered  _me_ ,” he corrected. “They aren't even really that deep or ugly. They’re the kind of scars heroes in action movies have.”

The teen managed a small smile. “Or mobsters.”

He snorted a laugh at that. “I  _have_ used them to scare people off before. They're honestly dead useful that way. Without them, I doubt anyone would ever take a threat from  _me_  seriously.”

“Who on earth would you try and threaten?”

His future self raised a brow.

"You know I mean outside of the suit. Cat Noir's plenty intimidating as is."

“Well," he drawled, "all the jackwagons that try to hit my wife up at bars and parties for  _starters,_ " he snorted.

“Is that a big problem in the future?” The teen mused. “Guys chasing her?”

“Oh  _god_ ,” his future-self bemoaned, throwing an arm over his eyes. “The amount of akumas Hawkmoth has spawned  _purely_  out of guys who wanted to get with that woman is  _insane_. Spots or no spots, our lady love is  _obnoxiousy_ popular.”

“I have a harder time imagining us going to a bar together than I do imagining a flock of guys following her around,” the sixteen-year-old agreed.

He half shrugged. “The bar and club nights are usually only when Nino's DJing. And even then only sometimes.”

The teen smiled. “I’m glad to hear we're still tight with Nino, and that he gets to DJ in actual clubs like he’s wanted for so long."

“Oh don't worry. You, Nino, Alya and Marinette are in it for the long haul.”

He perked at that news, obviously deeply pleased with the information. “Marinette too?” he asked hopefully.

The man grinned looking instantly bemused. “ _Oh_ yeah. She and I got to be EXTREMELY close at around sixteen. That could be anytime for you now.”

“How?!” he demanded eagerly.

"Just overload her with as many puns and bad jokes as you can fit in each day and spend extra time together every minute that you can and she'll stop stuttering completely in around a week. From there it’s just  _easy_.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it,” he chuckled. At least until something sparked in his expression, then suddenly he was sitting up and twirling around in place to look at him excitedly. “Did I mention she designed and made everything I’m wearing?” he asked eagerly.

“Seriously?!"

Adrien couldn’t have stayed in bed at that statement even if both his legs had been broken. He HAD to get a second look at those clothes!

His future self instantly offered up his jacket for inspection as the boy practically flung himself to the couch beside him and then preened under the rest of the teen’s excited gaze. “She did the boots, the jeans the shirt and the jacket all custom," he bragged, pride radiating off him like pure sunshine. "All _just_ for me. I get first dibs on ALL her experimental designs. Plus she makes things for me just for fun all the time. Nobody else on earth has these.”

“I wish I could wear stuff  _half_  this cool  _now_ ,” the teen lamented.

“You’ll get your chance,” he declared smilingly. “And in the meantime, its just another thing to look forward to.”

He looked over the beautifully done clothes with a strong sense of awe. He'd always beleived Marinette was going to go a long way, but to have the  _proof_ right here in his hands was  _amazing_.  These were even better than most of his  _father’s_ designs. More  _creative_  than the classics with a twist angle his father usually went with. But he wanted a confirmation. Plenty of people with her level of skill could still give up when it came to running an actual buisness.

“So is she going to become a  _professional_ fashion designer like she wants?” he asked.

“With the big label and interns and everything,” his future-self confirmed much to Adrien’s elation on behalf of his friend. “As if that was  _ever_  in question. And no matter how busy she is she always makes time for me. She's wonderful that way.”

 

The teen paused and looked down at the jacket. Examining the sturdy black leather and the sleek seams. The cut around the shoulders made him think of  _Cat Noir’s_  suit. Maybe he’d inspired that detail? She was a fan of the hero after all… Or maybe... maybe she  _knew_. If he trusted anyone to keep his secret Marinette was already high on the list... 

He could have asked but decided not to. Instead, he voiced a very different thought.

“...I don't know If I should believe you about all this,” he admitted softly. “Becoming close with Marinette, Nino getting to DJ, beating Hawkmoth. Or at least... I’m  _assuming_ you did. Me marrying Ladybug and moving in together… It all sounds too good to be true.”

“Well I mean, I'm scarred, I still haven’t made up with Pere and we’re still fighting super villains, So it’s clearly not ALL rainbows and unicorns,” he reminded.

“I wouldn’t expect it to be. It’s just… All the rest of it sounds so  _amazing_. What If I screw it all up? Or what if it just doesn't  _happen_  that way for me? I don't know If I could handle it if I got my hopes up and everything just... fell through.”

“...Do you want to beat Hawkmoth?”

He nodded.

"Do you  _want_ to be close to Marinette and marry Ladybug?”

Adrien nodded  _vehemently_.

“Then  _fight_ for those things. So long as you refuse to give up on what you want, you won't lose. And  _yeah_ , some days it’s going to be a struggle. There were  _plenty_  of times I wasn't sure I could keep going. But I always had people there who loved me and supported me, even when things were at their  _worst_.”

“...”

“What I  _mean_ is, even if you can’t blindly trust what  _I_ say, that’s fine. So long as you trust your partner and your friends and you keep fighting, you won’t be disappointed, no matter  **what**  sort of future you make.”

Adrien smiled. “Thanks, I’ll remember that.”

“Yeah... I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next update will be in two weeks. (Oct 19th) I'm getting to the last few chapters that have the least done on them.  
> Till then, give me your thoughts.  
> EDIT 10/19/18  
> I'm running a bit late with the editing so I may have to post tomorrow or the day after at latest. Sorry to disappoint. :/ I had some sudden extra work piled on me this week and couldn't get around it to sit down and write/edit. But I AM nearly finished and will post as soon as the chapter is ready.
> 
> \---  
> You can find me on FF.Net here: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3783208/Gypsyn  
> -  
> I'm on Tumblr here: https://gypsin.tumblr.com/  
> and here: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punapurreciator (if you want my Miraculous Ladybug blog)  
> -  
> My Deviantart page is here: https://gypsyn13.deviantart.com/


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien eyed the man with tired distrust. “You’re not really planning to go pester her for breakfast are you?”
> 
> “It’s practically Cat Noir’s JOB to pester Ladybug.”
> 
> Adrien narrowed his eyes but clearly found he couldn’t dispute this.

 

Adrien slept like a log that night.

It was the deep dreamless sleep of one who has exhausted all possible brain power and needs a good mental _reset_.

Who could blame him? He’d had a very long day after all. School, fencing practice, piano lessons, And then there was the akuma and the run-in with _himself._ Not to mention the _rest_ of his enlightening evening.

So it wouldn't have been very surprising if he _had_ slept through his alarm that morning.

As it was, there hadn't been much need for alarms. Not with his shower running in the next room over, _or_ with the two Plaggs zipping around, shrieking and hissing at each other.

...At _four_ in the morning. 

“THAT WAS **MY** CHEESE!!! THE LAST OF MY **BEST,** AGED-”

A cackle of delight interrupted along with something that sounded a _lot_ like his desk lamp getting knocked to the floor. “Did you think I wouldn't remember you holding out on me?!”

There was a yowl and another crash up near the books. “THAT WAS FOR **_ME!!!_ ** ”

“I _AM_ you!” he sang gleefully.

 _“THIS_ ME!!! **_PRESENT_ ** ME!!!”

There was a loud bang and another crash. It was honestly a _wonder_ nobody had rushed in to check on him yet. But with very few overnight staff and thick walls maybe he didn't have much to worry about.

Adrien groaned and crushed his pillow down around his ears.

In the middle of the squabbling the shower eventually turned off and a few moments later his future-self strolled out of the steam filled bathroom wearing the same jeans and t-shirt from the night before and toweling off his hair as he went. The first to notice was present Plagg who abandoned his chase and shot over to the bathroom door. “Good! You're done! Now hurry up and take the cheese thief away!!”

“Which one?” he joked much to the kwamii's irritation.

Future Plagg snickered from the couch and dodged into his chosen's jacket at his past self's murderous glare. If it hadn't been _himself_ doing the stealing it might have been a glare with more serious intent.

“YOURS!” he growled.

“I will right after I’m finished getting dressed and I've said goodbye to kid me.”

“I'll go wake him up,” he swiftly volunteered. Probably ready to do _anything_ to speed up their guests departure.

“You already did,” he reassured with a _look_ from the kwamii to the mess of thrown books, game controllers, movies and the downed lamp.

“All the better!” Plagg huffed, flying over to his current chosen to help pry the pillow away from his boy's ears.

The man snorted a laugh at his past self’s vain attempt to go back to sleep and went to go retrieve his things. By the time he’d finished shrugging on the jacket and laced up the boots, his other-self had begrudgingly sat up in the bed. 

“You're leaving?” he asked with a sleep graveled voice.

“Yep, before the nanny brigade comes to collect you.”

“And you’re going to _Ladybug’s_?” The envy in his tired expression was _palpable_.

“Maybe not right away, since its still early. I’ll probably get a run in first _then_ head over there.”

“Try not to get spotted if you can. People might-"

“Get the wrong idea," he grinned. "Yeah, I get that. Don't worry, I’ll stick to the shadows. Won't be too hard at this time of day.”

Adrien eyed the man with tired distrust. “You’re not really planning to go bother her for breakfast are you?”

“Of course I am. I’ve got to eat  _something_ don't I? And if you ask for a whole extra meal you'll get in trouble. Ladybug won't. She's got plenty of food and even if she kicks me out I’ve still  got cash in my wallet, I can just go to a restaurant.”

“Then shouldn't you just go do THAT instead of pestering her?”

“It’s practically Cat Noir’s JOB to pester Ladybug.”

Adrien narrowed his eyes but clearly found he couldn’t dispute this.

“Besides she's expecting me for breakfast, and it's very rude to keep a lady waiting.” He looked down toward his own chest. “Ready Plagg?”

“Awww, I wanted to harass little you a bit more.”

His chosen frowned and lightly thumped the outside of his jacket where his Kwamii was hiding out in the inner pocket. There was a sputtered noise of indignation followed by a muffled hiss.

“You’ve done **more** than enough damage on _that_ front you little gremlin. Now come on, claws out!”

In a green flash of light, the adult version of Cat Noir stood before him once again. He opened the window wide and a cool breeze fluttered into the room. Adrien drew the blankets up around his shoulders.

“The portal I was sent through opens down an alley on Rue Bonaparte. If you want to see me off then show up as soon as you can after fencing practice lets out. I'll send coordinates.”

Adrien managed a sleepy nod.

Future Chat hopped up onto the ledge. “Till later today kid!” he chirped. And then he leapt out into the dark.

The teen looked around at the mess on the floor and flopped back against his bed with a sigh.

 

\---

 

“Think he’s still coming?” Marinette asked aloud as she toweled off her still damp hair and glancing at the clock. Six thirty.

“Well if he’s still anything like the Cat Noir _we_ know then he likes to show up when he says he will,” Tikki replied cheerfully.

Marinette draped the towel to the side of her basin and picked up two hair ties and her hairbrush.

“You're probably right Tikki.” She started to brush out her hair in haste. Then carefully tied up the left side. “But if that's the case I should really get a move on. Breakfast could be done any-”

A  flash of black right behind her in the mirror drew her attention in the middle of tieing up the rest of her hair.  

She stopped.

“OOOOOOOOHH! I forgot _all_ about these!” cooed a deep male voice thick with amusement.

Marinette whirled around so fast her one finished pigtail smacked her in the face. Sure enough, **_there_ ** was the grown Cat Noir leaning over her collage of Adrien pictures and ads grinning like an idiot.

“What the HELL are yo- G-GET OUT!!!” she sputtered indignantly.

“Not so loud,” he chuckled, drawing back before she could whack him with the brush still clutched in her fist. “Besides, It’s not like I haven't seen them before.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s okay to bust in here uninvited you mangy alley cat!!!”

When he just grinned wider she really did fling the brush at him. He dodged with a laugh and hopped up to her bed.

“Fiiine, I’ll wait on the balcony for you to ‘tidy up’ your bedroom princess.” He snickered the last part as he lifted the skylight open and, glaring, Marinette rapidly picked up a notebook and tossed it at his head. Unfortunately, he saw it coming and ducked that too. But she didn't get a third shot as he laughed and skittered out of the room.

The moment the door clicked shut Marinette sent her kwamii (who was giggling) a soft glare, then turned back to the skylight with a huff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, this week was hectic for me. I barely had time to sit down to myself in quiet for an hour at a time all through it. x.x all the same, I apologize for the two day wait.  
> Next update should be in two weeks. (November 2nd) If I'm having more problems with keeping up with my timeline then I'll update my notes with the new time estimate. 
> 
> Anyway, Let me know what you think! 
> 
> side note: I think you can all tell I LOVE writing for Plagg. he's such a fun charming little devil. <3 Who else agrees that he's a blast to read/write?? he's just so sarcastic and sincere all wrapped together so it's hard to know if he's playing with you or not. 
> 
> UPDATE:  
> 11/3/18  
> Obviously I'm running a bit late again. But I plan on getting the next chapter up either tonight or tomorrow so don't panic. XD
> 
> \----  
> You can find me on FF.Net here: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3783208/Gypsyn  
> -  
> I'm on Tumblr here: https://gypsin.tumblr.com/  
> and here: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punapurreciator (if you want my Miraculous Ladybug blog)  
> -  
> My Deviantart page is here: https://gypsyn13.deviantart.com/


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You look happy,” she commented, bringing herself and the plate up.
> 
> “Nostalgic,” he corrected with a beaming smile as his gaze fixed on the plate piled high with croissants. She put the food next to him on the chaise and he eagerly snatched one up.
> 
> “You came here a lot then?” she asked cautiously.

It was far far too late to keep him from seeing the posters. But she took them off the walls anyway, if only to hide the fact that she had to change her computer wallpaper, hide the framed photos, and properly secure the schedule. (and hide the cord)  

Even once she was done, she didn't feel safe calling him back down until she and Tikki both gave the place a twice over.

It wasn't that she really feared him doing anything with that information, he couldn't exactly run off and tell Adrien Agreste everything he'd seen in her bedroom or anything. (even if he did, all of _Paris_ had seen her bedroom walls after the Jagged Stone fiasco.)

It was just overall  _mortifying_.

\---

She’d barely opened the skylight to call him back before his face popped up in front of her, tail flicking eagerly behind him and familiar cat ears perched forward.

“Cha- Er-” she hesitated.

“Ready?”

She blinked, then moved aside saying,  “Um, yeah.”

“Great!” He climbed in after her and sat on her bed looking around with a very keen eye. Tikki rescued her from any further embaressment by choosing then to fly up and greet their guest. “Cat Noir!” she chirped in a friendly voice. “Nice to meet you!”

He laughed at the greeting and stretched out a hand to let the kwamii come sit in his palm. She did so.

"Nice to see you too Tikki. You wouldn’t _believe_ how glad I am to see a kwamii with some sense!” he told her happily. “Plagg has been a _nightmare_ ever since we got here.”

She seemed unsurprised to hear this. “He always _has_ had a soft spot for chaos,” she sighed, shaking her head in fond exasperation.

“He seems to have found getting thrown back in time _inspiring_ that way,” he agreed with a wry grin.

“What’s he been up to?”

“Oh you know, stealing cheese from his past self, tormenting the younger version of me with tidbits about my future sex life, that sort of thing.”

Marinette turned back to gape at him in disbelief.

“Yeah I _know_ ,” he sighed, reaching up to drag a hand through his wild hair in exasperation. “As If **any** teenage boy on earth NEEDS that kind of information. I’m not sure I’ve _ever_ been more jealous of you and Tikki.”

The kwamii giggled and rose up to fly over to her chosen’s shoulder. Chat jumped down lightly to stand beside them and went back to nosing around.

He had an easy sort of elegance to him as he walked about the room that was better caught in the daylight. He stood broad shouldered, tall, and muscular. And she was surprised to notice that even scarred he was still incredibly handsome.

“So why did you want to come here for breakfast?” Marinette ventured, glancing away and fighting down a blush at the thought. “Seems a little out of the way?”

“Lots of reasons,” he smiled vaguely. “Your mother’s cooking, the chance to reminisce, escaping my old so called _‘home’_. Take your pick. They're all pretty valid.”

 

Her eyes fixed back on him in an instant, her brows furrowed a little with worry. “What do you mean ‘ _so called_  ' home?”

“Nothing for you to worry about yet,” he waved off nonchalantly. “Other than that, I don't really _know_ why I’m here. When I was in _your_ Cat Noir’s boots MY twenty six year old self came here for breakfast today. I don't know what was said or what I’m _supposed_ to say but I still came.”

“Isn’t that risky? If you don't know what to say you might slip up, right?”

“More risky for me to NOT come,” he sighed. “But anyway-” he looked her over again. “ _I_ have a burning question now, you're being a lot nicer to me this morning." He grinned. "Even considering the fact that I had a brush thrown at me. You're treating me like _normal_. Now why is that?”

“Well I-I mean," she fumbled. " _I've_ been sent back in time before too. It was only  about ten minutes, but even _that_ was pretty jarring. I can't even _imagine_ what going back ten **_years_ ** feels like. And… You’re still my partner _right_ ? A little older but you’re _still_ Cat Noir, I want to be there for you.”  

Blue eyes searched him uncertainly. “But... you _seem_ to be totally relaxed about this. So maybe I'm just overthinking it.”

He leaned back against the wall and looked her up and down with an uncharacteristically open and startled expression. “...Actually, you're right on the money,”

He looked off to the right but not at any one thing. His brows were furrowed in thought. “...The longer I’m here the more homesick I get,” he revealed carefully. “And... over the last ten years there are things I’ve _wished_ a billion times over that I could have known sooner. Hawkmoth’s identity, _yours_. That my ‘family’ can’t-” He cut himself off, shook his head and released a soft huff of frustration.

“And now I'm here in a position where I _could_ say it and I’m having to hit the breaks as hard as I possibly can. So you can guess how hard its been for an impulsive guy like me to keep tight lipped. And even harder for the young me to not pry for answers. Answers I remember wanting SO badly.”

“I can’t even imagine.”

He shrugged. “I guess I should just be grateful I didn't _fuse_ with the other me like you did in _your_ time travel escapade. Otherwise I don't know _what_ I’d have done.”

“That won't happen unless you change the future,” Tikki chirped.

He looked down at her, quietly stricken. Like its something he _knows_ but doesnt want to hear or think of.

“Oh don't worry!" Tikki chirps quickly, her tone mildly guilty. "Your time here is almost up right? That means you’ve done really well so far!”

He hestiantly nods and looks away, worried.

Marinette took pity on her poor partner. “I’m going to go get our breakfast, okay? Just make yourself at home and I’ll be right back.

“Ah- right.”

\---

When she came back she found him sitting on the chaise, smiling softly around, Looking from her half finished summer dress on the mannequin to the school books laid out by her bag on the desk and up to the bed and the skylight. His mood obviously improved.

“You look happy,” she commented, bringing herself and the plate up.

“Nostalgic,” he corrected with a beaming smile as his gaze fixed on the plate piled high with croissants. She put the food next to him on the chaise and he eagerly snatched one up.

“You came here a lot then?” she asked cautiously.

“Many many times. I pretty much _lived_ here for a while after- Well, you’ll see.”

She frowned. “Should you be dropping hints like that considering the circumstances?"

“Well, Its like Tikki said, If I haven't disappeared YET then I don't  have much to worry over. Especially since I’ve dropped WAY bigger bombs than _that_ since I got here.”

Her brows raised. “With _my_ Chat?”

He grinned at her. “You have no idea how happy he’d be to hear you call him that.”

“Don't dodge the question _Whiskers_ ,” she huffed, crossing her arms sternly. “What did you tell him?”

“A lot of things,” he hazarded suddenly looking a bit sheepish. “How he gets scarred, an update on his friends, er- who he marries.”

Marinette’s jaw _dropped_.

“To be _fair_ ,” he quickly defended. “The last one was on accident.”

“It’s a **_wonder_ ** you’re still _here!”_ she hissed. “How on _EARTH_ did you manage to keep the timeline in tact?!”

“I'm probably sliding by just on good luck at this point,” he conceded before hurriedly biting into his croissant in a clear effort to end the subject.

 

She considered properly laying into him on it but decided to let it go to pursue a very _different_ topic of discussion. But just for a _bit_ of revenge, she waited until he was well into his fourth bite before she spoke.

 **_“So_ ** your version of me is pregnant huh?”

He choked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one or two chapters left and it's a wrap! I'm getting super close now.  
> lets see. I'll aim the next chapter for November 24th at latest but try to update sooner than that if I can.  
> It has a lot done on it already so it really shouldn't take that long unless something ELSE comes up. 
> 
> x.x Which... well you never know. We got a new kitten and then there was Halloween with my three year old, and then I've been forcing myself to take time out the last two days to finish this chapter while in the middle of some drama regarding my mother. -.-; and two weeks ago it was a lot of abrupt guests showing up in the middle of our work week... things seem to keep popping up lately. But I'm super close to finishing so here's hoping!
> 
> Edit: (sigh) stuff came up. Again. -.-;;; the chapter is SUPER close to done but my son and i have been and still are really sick. Sorry guys. I'll update as soon as im able to sit down and hash out the last changes. (A day or two?) If it takes longer than that then i apoligize in advance.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So your version of me is pregnant huh?”
> 
> He choked.

 

* * *

 

The hacking was _so_ bad that Marinette ended up having to run downstairs for a glass of water, and as soon as the cup was in his hand he took a long desperate drink, downing the contents in seconds and then gently thunked the cup down on her desk with an over dramatic gasp of air.

“ _God_ , please don't murder me little bug,” he groaned hoarsely. “That really _hurt_.”

“It's your own silly fault for being so careless with the information you give here, Chat,” she chided with a sigh and an awkward pat on the back.

He took a few seconds longer to recover before drawing courage enough to address her earlier question. “How..?”

“Heroine leave,” she reminded him with a tired look of exasperation. “For _months_ ? _Really_? WITHOUT being seriously sick or hurt??”

He looked at her for a moment, clearly surprised and then buried his face back in his hands with another groan, louder this time. “Well _sure,_ It sounds stupid when you say it like THAT.”  

The girl snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m guessing   _my_ Chat hasn’t put it together then.”

“I _was_ pretty oblivious as a teenager,” he admitted with a disgruntled sigh against his hands.

“I’ll say. That hint was about as subtle as a train going through a china shop. He _ought_ to know me well enough by now to realize that I wouldn’t drop that kind of work on him without a _very_ serious reason.”

“...You’re being very calm about this,” he reluctantly observed, finally looking up at her again.

“I had my freak out last night after I got home.”

 _“Ah_ ,” was his simple, knowing reply.

“ _So,_ who’s the father?”

He managed to snort a laugh of his own. “You literally _just_ told me not to be so careless with information Buginette,” he drawled. “I think I'm entitled to follow that advice.”

She laughed at that. “Fine, you win. I won't _bug_ you on it.”

He hesitantly smiled at the pun and very cautiously started in on his breakfast again, only daring to take very small bites and keeping an eye on her as though she might take another crack at making him choke to death.

She wasn’t aware of any more bombs left in her arsenal, but he apparently had no desire to test her, and only relaxed once she took mercy and picked up a pastry of her own to start eating as well.

 

“…Hypothetically,” he finally said after he’d finished his first pastry. “What If I said model boy was the father? What would you think?”

She paused for a moment but then just huffed. “I’d doubt you,” she answered decisively with another bite.

He tilted his head, expression all feline curiosity. “And why’s _that_?”

“Because it’s been three years and we STILL aren't particularly close? Because he’s admitted to liking someone else? Because he’s way way WAY out of my league?”

She sighed heavily.

“If you feel that way then why keep the pictures up?”

“Because I’m _stupid_ ,” she huffed.

Clearly she was starting to regret the turn in conversation but it was too late. The cat was curious now.

He was also a bit _irritated_ at her talking herself down right in front of him and expressed it with a clear frown and a raised eyebrow.

Marinette sighed in exasperation, already knowing she’d brought this on herself.

She paused in her meal and struggled to find the right thing to say. “Because… he's still someone I _care_ about,” she simplified the best she could manage under such sudden circumstances. “And taking the pictures down feels too much like I’d be giving that up _._ Even if I’ve always known deep down that I never stood a chance… I can't just _stop_ liking him. That would be too easy .”

“What a depressing and melodramatic teenage answer.”

“I guess,” she laughed. “But there’s _also_ the fact that if I took the pictures down then I’d have to deal with my parents and Alya being nosy about it.” She heaved a long suffering sigh. “They wouldn’t just let me off with ‘I just wanted a change’ And they'd be _angry_ if I straight up told them ‘he’s out of my league and I'm tired of getting my hopes up for nothing’.”

He quickly opened his mouth to say something but rapidly looked away and stopped himself before it could come out.

 

“...What If it’s someone you haven’t met yet?” he asked eventually.

“Then I guess I’d be surprised?” she mused, returning to her half eaten pastry. She looked him over, grateful in the slight turn in topic, but already sensing that he wasn’t _quite_ done prodding.

He glanced at her without turning his head. “...And what if it's _me_?”

 

Annnnd there it was.

 

“ _That_ wouldn't be very surprising,” she admitted with a wry smile. “Master Fu and Tikki… well, they’re very _vocal_ about who they’d prefer to see me with. _Subtle_ , but **vocal** . They talk about _us_ with words like _fate_ and _bonds_ and _magic…_ So... I get the feeling it’s only a matter of- well, _time_.”

He frowned. “And how do _you_ feel about that?”

“Does it really matter how I feel?” she asked lightly.

“Of _course_ it does,” he scoffed. “If _anybody_ has the will to change FATE here It’s **you** . Even if only out of _spite_.”

She smiled. “I’m glad you still think so highly of me even after ten years.”

He smiled brightly again, green eyes sparkling. “I think more of you every day, my lady.” he cooed back.

 _“Still_ a flirt,” she scolded lightheartedly.

“The day I stop flirting with you will be the day I'm cold in my grave,” he vowed playfully.

She shook her head with another laugh.

They went back to eating in a more comfortable silence. Marinette really hadn't kept close track, but she was pretty sure she was on her third croissant now and he was on his second.

“But you're right,” she admitted after a little thought. He looked up and blinked. She couldn't help but smile at the look. “I'm not the kind of person to just go along with fate if its an outcome I don't like,” she illuminated. “And a few years ago I probably would have balked at the idea, but now, I can't really imagine being without Cat Noir. He’s my best friend in the whole world. The idea of growing apart or not seeing each other after the whole Hawkmoth thing gets settled is _horrible_.

And _yeah_ , If Adrien randomly decided to drop contact one day it would really really hurt. I would probably cry myself to sleep for weeks or months. But I’ve known for a while now… If _Chat_ did that, It might just _break_ me. I’m not sure WHAT I’d do, but I wouldn't just cry for a few weeks and then get over it... I don't think I’d ever be the same again.”

“...You told me something like that before once,” he murmured. His eyes were narrowed in deep concentration. “Ages ago.”

She tilted her head in consideration.“Well... I definitely haven't said it to MY chat yet. So that must be a future conversation.”

He nodded. “...It was right after- well, something pretty crappy happened to me,” he recalled, stopping himself again. “I was... feeling pretty horrible about myself. You managed to talk me through it.”

 

They both went quiet. And Chat returned to his meal if only to keep himself from saying more. But Marinette did not. She stared pensively down at the pastry cradled in her hand. She _knew_ she wasn't supposed to ask too much about the future, and that she’d already risked a lot just confirming her future pregnancy and asking about the father. But…

“Hey… I’ve been wondering…” she started hesitantly.

He worriedly glanced up at her, VERY quickly swallowed his last bite of pastry and only _then_ gave her his attention.

She would have been amused if the subject on her mind hadn't been so heavy.

 

“Why do you have scars?” her voice was soft and worried.

Unlike the reaction he gave his younger self, he flashed Ladybug a sheepish grin and chuckled. “Oh, those? I got them in a fight as a civilian a long time ago, but _hey_ , no biggie. What’s a tomcat without a few battle scars?”

“A _person_ did that?" she asked incredulously. "They look like  _claw_ marks.”

 

“Yeah I guess they sort of do." He reached up to rub the back of his neck like he was embarrassed by the whole thing. "The guy that got the jump on me used a trapper knife, or something _like_ it. You know, the kind with two blades on the same side?”

Marinette winced. But accepted the explanation with some  _small_ degree of relief. It was terrifying to think of him having to go through all that, even if he _seemed_ okay now. But somewhere deep down she’d feared that maybe _she_ was at fault. That he'd gotten hurt protecting her again. Or that maybe her restoration magic had- _would_ fail.

“I’m SUPER lucky I got to keep my eye after that little adventure,” he mused, much to her discomfort. “Which is great, because I don't think I could have pulled off a cat/pirate hybrid look.”

She appreciated the out to a lighter subject but had no intention of taking the bait. 

 

“Did nobody else notice you and your civilian self were both scarred the same way at the same time?” she worried.

“Nah, I just stayed out of the media spotlight as long as possible and changed the suit and mask. You changed yours too. Just so it wouldn't seem _too_ out of nowhere. After that, people were too excited about our new ‘grown up’ look to think much about _why_ we switched it up. And after a few years we upgraded properly and I happened to get my smaller mask back.”

“And how did people react _then_?”

He shrugged. “Most people are convinced I’ve just always had scars.”

“ _What_??” she gasped incredulously.

“Yeah,” he laughed. “Crazy right? Even Media and fans, people in the _business_ of keeping track of us were pretty confused. They had photos, but no close up high quality shots of my face. It seems that over the years those pictures coincidentally got lost or deleted. The ones still floating around are too dark or aren't at _quite_ the right angle. And hundreds of people who'd seen me up close as a kid will swear up and down that they saw scars. So anyone sharp enough to notice gets shot down pretty quickly and starts to doubt themselves.”

“But that's…” she struggled to comprehend it. “There's no way…”

“You'd be surprised,” he shrugged lightly. “There **is** _some_ degree of magic involved in protecting our identities after all. Not a particularly _powerful_ magic by any stretch of the imagination,  but enough to dispel or mislead suspicion without proof.”

Her eyes went wide. “Is THAT why my parents and friends don't automatically recognize me in the suit as soon as I get up close to them!?”

“Right. You should have a _chat_ with Master Fu or Tikki about the details. Purrsonally I found the subject furry a-mew-sing.”

Her expression fell from intrigued to mock disgust in a second flat. “Ugh, your puns are still _terrible_.” she bemoaned.

He grinned wide. “Your father and I enjoy having pun-offs sometimes,” he revealed playfully.

“Oh _god_.”

“They're a lot of fun! Especially when you're the referee and we try to see who can annoy you the most.”

“My future is a hellscape,” she decided with a playful look of horror.

The man laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uuuuuugh. Sorry this took SO long. My house got hit with the stomach flu and then I had a full on migraine for the last three days. It's been HORRIBLE. But we're all feeling healthy now and I'm finally well enough to look at a screen again without making the headache come back so I'm very happy about that. 
> 
> That said, THE LAST CHAPTER IS COMING UP YOU GUYS!!!! Are you ready???  
> It needs the most work done on it so I give it two weeks (Dec 14) optimistically, and three weeks (Dec 21) if something happens to moderately set me back again. If something BIG happens it could be longer than that. But I'll do my best to alert you guys if something sets me back big time.
> 
> After this last chapter I'm not sure what I'll throw out there next. I'm pretty sure I have several works in progress that are well enough along now that I could reasonably start posting them with regular updates. But I'd like to focus on one story at a time. 
> 
> Maybe I'll ask you guys to vote on which story you'd like next. Or maybe I'll look at what I have and realize one story is clearly more put together than the others. Either way I'll let you guys know whats up in the next chapters notes.
> 
> BY THE WAY!!! Thank you guys SO much for all the lovely comments on this story!!! I'm totally blown away! I hope that this chapter lived up to your expectations.
> 
>  
> 
> Edit: 12/17/18  
> Bad news. That last chapter is going to be delayed again. My husband's grandfather passed away earlyer today and its been a huge blow to the family. It wasnt entirely a surprise since he had been in the hospital for over a week with one complication after another, but we'd all really hoped he'd pull through and be home in time for christmas.
> 
> ...I'm not really sure what else to say about it to you guys except that I hope that you'll be understanding and pateint with me while we're going through this loss.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette Dupain Cheng was possibly having the strangest, most stressful day of her life.

Marinette Dupain Cheng was possibly having the strangest, most stressful day of her _life_.

That morning she’d had breakfast with her aged up superhero partner, and then all day at school Adrien had been paying her _attention_.

LOTS of attention.

And for _some_ reason that meant he was firing _puns_ off at her like no tomorrow.

-

“Hey Marinette! What did the dry erase marker say to the blackboard?” “…Nothing! Dry erase markers don't _chalk_!”

“Oh! Marinette, what do you call a lawyer-turned-cook? ...A _sue_ chef!”

“I wondered why our geometry class was always tired. They’re all out of _shape_!”

“Only the _squares_ are doing well in our geometry class. It's their _area_.”

“Oooh! I thought of a better one! When you’re not getting anywhere in geometry class doesn't it feel like you're going in _circles_ _?_ ”

“Geology rocks, but Geography is where it's at!”

“Don't worry Marinette, it's just mind over _batter_!”

-

Top of the class, supermodel, crush extraordinaire Adrien Agreste, was a filthy stinking PUNNER.  

If it weren't for the fact that _Nino_ seemed pretty unsurprised by the change then she would have thought it was an akuma at work.

 

God, did _ALL_ the men in her life secretly have a terrible sense of humor??? Was she CURSED???

 

But it wasn't _just_   the puns. 

From the moment he'd set eyes on her that morning, Adrien had followed her around the locker area before class like a lost puppy, shooting off puns and wanting to know all about her evening the night before. In their first period class, he'd turned around in his chair to talk to her every time the lesson hit a lull. 

He wanted her for his lab partner in chemistry. He wanted to sit together and compare notes and chat it up in history and geography. In gym, Alya declared him Marinette's stretching partner for the day and he eagerly excepted the role. For an entire  **hour**  she had to endure the sweet torture of all his little touches. 

At lunch, he and Nino invited themselves along with her and Alya to the local sandwich shop. Once there, Adrien took _immediate_ advantage of Alya and Nino's offer to stand in line and order the food to corral Marinette into a booth with him before  _leaping_ into a persistent conversation about Ultimate Mecha Strike 3 and how they should play together again sometime. Maybe even figure out a _regular_ gaming day.

Their friends, still waiting in the line, could only stare. (or _really,_ in Alya’s case _glow_.)

And she was DYING.

 

Marinette tried _repeatedly_ over the course of the day to escape for a bit of breathing room. Hiding behind Alya, calling for her or Nino's thoughts on any given conversation to try and direct his attention elsewhere, shooting desperate pleading glances over the boy's shoulder at her best friend when he managed to corner her.

All in vain. Once she saw the way things were going, the traitorous Alya had firmly attached herself to her far too pliable (in Marinette's current opinion) boyfriend for the day and she was NOT giving her an out. 

If anything, she was creating excuses to get the two alone or finding new little ways to throw them together. Grinning mischievously as Adrien took full advantage in his attempt to MELT her into nothing with smiles and goofy antics alone.

 

It was an alliance forged in HELL.

If ANYONE needed a wingman to pursue one Marinette Dupain Cheng it certainly was NOT Adrien Agreste. Having Alya there to counter her every attempt at retreat was overkill of the highest order. 

Adrien himself didn't seem to notice he was getting help. Mind _meltingly_ , He didn't seem to notice much at _all_ today except for her. He watched her every move, encouraged every coherent line he managed to dragout of her. 

And if she tripped or nearly walked into a wall he caught her before impact and gently set her right without mentioning it. If she started to stutter or put her foot in her mouth then _out_ came the puns and somehow her anxiety lessened that _little_ bit. 

 

Yes, today was a strange day all around. 

 

Even after that blessed last bell, he’d volunteered to walk her home and asked for her number at the door.

As she shakily typed it into his phone for him, he grinned sheepishly (in the most adorable expression she’d ever SEEN), saying he really should have tried to get it from her a long time ago.

“T-That's okay,” she murmured back, heart pounding. The girl quickly triple checked the number's accuracy and carefully handed the phone back.

 _‘Today was a_ **_fluke_ ** _,’_ her head screamed at her ruthlessly for the billionth time _. ‘Tomorrow he’ll forget you exist again. Don't you DARE get your hopes up!’_

He took the phone and grinned, wide and sweet. “Great! I’ll text you tonight okay?”

“I- you’re fine- I mean! That! That’s fine!”

He smiled good naturedly, ever the picture of grace and patience when it came to her embarrassing responses. "Can't _wheat_ to see you tomorrow!"

He made her want to _scream_.

\---

“I see you made it okay with the directions I sent,” future Chat noted casually as he dropped into the alleyway. He promptly found himself a perch on top of a broken laundromat dryer someone had abandoned by the dumpster and pulled out his baton to check the time. “But we still have a bit before kid me gets here.”

Ladybug said nothing. She was standing at the dead end of the alley with her forehead pressed against a dirty brick wall.

He let out a snort of amusement. “ _So_ , how was school?”

The girl _groaned_.

He had the audacity to chuckle and lean forward with his elbow balanced on a knee, and _smirk_  at her.

“Model boy huh?”

She whirled on him. “How the _hell_ do you _know_ that??!” she hissed.

“Well, I _happen_ to know **you** very well," he laughed, eyes sparkling with a look that was FAR _too_ knowing. "And when you're **this** wound up about something but you're not _angry_ it typically spells boy issues."

 

Ladybug's eyes narrowed. “And you didn't DO something here?? Say something??? Adrien barely noticed that I _existed_ yesterday!”

“Oh come on,” the man drawled easily. “We both know _that’s_ a lie. And you can't blame ME for your crush wanting to hang out with you.”

“It's a little _too_ convenient,” she growled, looking up to glare at him.

“Convenient or not you still liked it right?”

Her glare weakened and died. “...Yeah. I had fun today,” she confessed softly.  “I just… I don't want to get my hopes up anymore.” She frowned. her furrowed brows revealed a dirty smudge hidden beneath her bangs. “And I SUPER don't like the idea of getting _Alya's_ hopes up.”

“I'd say that's pretty understandable, Alya is very... " He winced. " _Tenacious_... when it comes to meddling. _Especially_ when it comes to other people's love lives.”

 

As if to remind her of this very fact, her yo-yo vibrated at her hip with another notification from her civilian phone. The tenacious meddler herself  _again_ no doubt. Ladybug  let out a groan that turned into a whine. Her head went back to press against the brick wall. “She's going to _MAUL_ me later.”

The man mock sighed and reached over to give her a consoling pat on the shoulder. “Everybody needs a _little_ adversity in their lives, baby bug.”

The heroine sputtered indignantly at that. “I get **plenty**!!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so a lot of stuff to unpack here. 
> 
> This was supposed to be the last chapter but i don't know. Somehow the ending I had planned just didn't seem like enough all on its own and then inspiration struck so I guess I'm adding a few things to tie up as many loose ends as possible. 
> 
> I estimate that the next update will be around a week from now ( so feb 22ish ) but take it with a grain of salt.
> 
> As an update to the death we had in the family: We're doing okay for right now but not great. The immediate family is suffering a financial blow as a result on top of everything else and well, its not fun. (I was also really sick again this week) (sigh)
> 
> lately I've been distracting myself with trying to finish Ten Years and thinking about what story I'm going to post next.  
> But I can't seem to decide so I figure I'll post a few wips of current projects up on tumblr and see what people think. 
> 
> If you'd like to have a look you can find my ladybug blog here: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punapurreciator 
> 
> I'll post them sometime this week. I'll probably also post the best lines/scenes that didn't make it into 'Ten Years' there after the story is completed. 
> 
> Anyway, hope you guys had a great new years! ~Gypsyn


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Did you miss me that much, sweetheart?”

Chat arrived about fifteen minutes later to find his partner with her head pressed against the alley wall and his future self snickering. He seemed to be teasing her about something again.

Maybe he should consider spending a _little_ less time with Plagg in the future. The little nuisance seemed to have rubbed off on him a lot more than his twenty six year old self realized.

 

He opened his mouth to ask what they were talking about but the man noticed him too quickly. He grinned and poked Ladybug in the shoulder from his spot on an old busted dryer.

“Better pull yourself together, Babybug. Little me is here watching all this hot mess you've got going on.”

“Nooooo” she whined.

“Should I take this as a sign of how breakfast went?” the boy asked, crossing his arms over his chest, half amused half disappointed that he’d had to miss out.

“She threw a hairbrush at me,” the man chirped with a cheeky grin.

The present Chat hesitantly opened his mouth.

“And _then_ she tried to murder me.”

He blinked and considered this too. “Nope,” he decided aloud.  “ _Still_ sounds more fun than MY breakfast.”

Ladybug turned from the wall to give him an incredulous look.

 

“So, how much longer now?” he asked, ignoring the sudden worry that he might have let something a _tad_ too revealing slip out for her to be looking at him like that.

“Could be any second.” Future Chat glanced at Ladybug.  “By the way little bug, you _might_ wanna back up.”

The girl frowned and looked from him to the bricks and back again with silent confusion but obeyed, stepping away from the wall to go stand by her partner. He seemed elated with the company, smiling wide as she came to join him.

 _Seconds_ later there was a flicker of light along the cracks of the masonry that made the two teens jump in alarm.

Adult Chat jumped down from his perch to stand expectantly, his eyes fixed on the wall and tail twitching back and forth.

 

The light faded out and everything seemed to get quieter. The chatter of people and the sounds of traffic faded out in the background. A sudden surge of magic filled the air

Both teens stood rooted in place staring at the wall.

The light picked up again, stronger this time. It looked a bit like someone putting a huge high beam right up against the cracks. Any loose bricks or crumbling mortar let the light through easily. The effect was _pretty_ , in a surreal sort of way.

And then, in a small shower of crumbled brick and dust, a shining _blade_ sliced through the wall. The teens jumped in alarm, both their jaws dropping.

It wiggled in the stonework and jerked back through, leaving a fresh hole.

 

“Chat?!” faintly called a woman’s voice from the other side. “Minou! Are you there?! Answer me!!”

“I’m here!” he called back, his tail lashing and his hands clenching with impatient energy.  “I'm right here!”

 

There was a murmur of voices from the other side. A short outburst that sounded like, “Oh **give** me the damn thing!” More murmuring and then a very clear, “Stand back!”

He obeyed instantly, jumping back to stand just in front of the teens. And moments later, the blade reappeared, slashing in a white hot line through the stonework and sending crumbling debris flying in every direction.

When the dust settled, a crack _just_ big enough for a person to slip through had split the wall. And beyond, a bright shifting light curtained off the other side. The blade was left wedged firmly into a brick at the bottom.

From the light, a delicate black clad foot stepped out over the blade, onto the rubble strewn ground beyond and Future Chat was already striding forward and reaching into the light to draw her out.

She came through and the teens barely got more than a flash of red cloth and black hair before the two were engaged in a crushing embrace. His face burying itself in her hair and hers against his collar bone. One of his arms around her back and the other cupping her head to hold her close. _Her_ arms wrapped around his neck.

It was kind of reunion you saw in _romance_ movies.

It was intimate

it was emotional,

It was **awkward**.

Neither teen could _look_ at the other for blushing. But their future selves didn't seem to care one bit for what their audience thought.

 

“Did you miss me _that_ much sweetheart?”  The man laughed, voice thick.

“Of course I did you Idiot!” his partner snapped tearfully, her voice muffled. “You had me scared half to death!”

“But you got through it,” he reminded her, nuzzling the top of her head much to their past selves embarrassment. “You’re here and I’m okay.”

He pushed away and seemed to look her up and down carefully. “You didn't fight him directly _right_? You brought backup?”

She snorted at that. “Of course I did. Do you really think anyone else was going to _let_ me do any heavy lifting knowing they'd have to face your overprotective wrath the moment you got back?

“You used a sword to cut through a wall,” he reminded her wryly. “Don't think I didn't hear them offering to handle _that_ for you.”

“Oh yes, the _wall_ was a truly fearsome enemy indeed!” future Bug snarked.

He snorted a laugh.

She echoed his smile and stepped away fully… Only to finally take in the teens.

She stared at them a moment and they stared back. 

“Oh wow this is _weird._ "

He laughed outright at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I expect to have another chapter up next sunday/monday ( the 27th or 28th) But again, please take that with a grain of salt! 
> 
> I'll be posting those wip's up on my tumblr throughout the course of the day. It took me a bit longer than expected to find just the right exerts to use. ^^; I'll probably post links here once I've gotten them all up.
> 
> Edit:  
> (wip) Almost: https://punapurreciator.tumblr.com/post/182167901128/almost-wip  
> (wip) Paint The Town Red: https://punapurreciator.tumblr.com/post/182168808443/paint-the-town-red  
> (wip) Let Me: https://punapurreciator.tumblr.com/post/182170074268/let-me


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This is like the worst case of déjà vu EVER.”

Her hair was longer, ten years later.

That was the first thing he noticed about her now that she was no longer shielded by his future-self’s back.

Her transformation had it braided and pinned back in a bun that was _just_ the right amount of messy to look graceful. And her suit was different too. In fact, it wasn't really a _suit_. It was a long, detailed dress with several layers. Cut short in the front to reveal long black clad legs and falling to her knees in the back.

If her eye or hair color had been different he might have thought she was a completely different person.

But as those arresting blue eyes fixed on him, he felt some weak, longing part of himself seize up and freeze him in place. There was **no** mistaking _those_ eyes against a red mask. This was Ladybug.

Only… this was the version that left messy projects on the floor and cooked and had helped pick out the furniture for their home and would fuss over him if he got sick. This was the version he would someday be _married_ to.

A small fond smile traced the woman's lips as she looked him over and all at once, he felt like something heavy had just _dropped_ out of him. Maybe his brain. It was suddenly VERY hard to think straight.

 

“Well, _I'm_ disappointed,” grumbled the girl just to his left.

He whipped around to stare at his fellow teen as though she were crazy.

“What on _earth_ is there to be disappointed about?” he wondered aloud, voice stunned.

"I'm still _short_ ,” she elaborated, half-pouting half-glaring at her future self.

The woman almost instantly shot her past self a look of annoyance as her partner cracked up beside her.

“ _Rude_!”

“It’s _true_.”

“I’m at least taller than maman!”

“By like _one_ inch, if that,” the teen shot back mournfully.

 

The future Ladybug gave a long suffering groan as her partner made every attempt to stifle his laughter. “This is like the worst case of déjà vu EVER,” she grumbled.

“Chaaaat,” his own partner whined, thumping her head down gently on his shoulder. “It's not _fair_ . You grow up to be a freaking giant and I’m still _tiny._ ”

The laugh that got out of him felt like it had been _punched_ out. “I'm sorry then?” he replied, suddenly trying hard not to laugh himself. He didn't often get to see her be at a loss or acting childishly. It was kind of funny and adorable.

He was pretty sure if he said that out loud she might smack him though.

 

“Ah, You fill out _very_ nicely though,” future-Chat purred, sidling up close to his partner with a sly grin.

The lady herself snorted a laugh of her own at the rakish look and pushed him away at the nose with a small grin. “Tone it _down_ tomcat you sound like a perv.”

His grin widened but he went quiet regardless. Poor Adrien had to work very hard NOT to think about what that grin implied. At least not in company. 

-

The present-Ladybug, (after a moment of mourning for her dreams of growing up to be, well not TALL, but at least an _average_  Parisian height), stepped away from her partner and reluctantly looked back at her future self.

Her eyes flickered to the woman’s stomach with knowing consideration. But she  _couldn't_ be more than two or three months along. The evidence of her condition (if there even _was_ any yet) was safely hidden beneath the layers of her dress. And maybe that was the main reason for the costume change.  She couldn't imagine many active Ladybugs safely becoming mothers without effectively hiding it.

Still… the question probably needed to be asked. If only for appearances sake.

“So, why the dress? It’s like the formal wear transformations we get for events.”

 

Her future self glanced over with a knowing look but answered her smooth as anything. “It has to do with my... ‘heroine break’.”  She cast her partner a deadpan expression. He smiled back sheepishly and shrugged. “I can’t afford to be up close and personal in a fight at the moment so the miraculous shifted my outfit and abilities in a different direction.”

 

“It's like… how in some games you have different class types for the same character,” future-Chat simplified at the teen's matching looks of surprise and confusion. “If this were a game, the present you would probably be considered mostly an agility type. This version is all about magic.”

“Way to explain it like a total nerd,” future-Ladybug teased.  

 

An alarm abruptly beeped to life at the future-Cat Noir's back. His ears perked up and he reached around to grab and flip open his weapon.

“Bug,” he called in a mildly hurrying tone.

“Right,” she sighed, breaking away to stride toward the teens. “We don't have a lot of time now. Bombshell will be here pretty soon. You two should get ready for that.”

“ _Bombshell_?” her past self echoed uncertainly.

“Another akuma. A tough one, or at least tougher than Brawler was. I don't remember _much_ about her except that she shows up not long after _I_ do and she uses explosives.”

“Oh,” the present Chat replied, disappointed. “We should probably go handle that then.”

The woman smiled and stopped close to the boy. His face went bright red at the nearness. “Oh, not _you_ little kitten. You and I have business.”

 

She reached forward and flicked his bell coyly. The vibration sent a wave of sensation through every inch of his body, curling his toes, straightening his back and making his hair stand on end.

“Oh no you don't,” his future-self scolded. “Plagg’s been teasing him practically since we got here. I don't need YOU starting in too.”

“I would **_never_** ,” she mock gasped, holding a hand to her heart and flashing the man a look of innocence.

“You act like there's any chance in hell of me _forgetting_ **this** you flirting with me at 16,” he drawled, casting his partner a mock glare.

 

She smiled and Adrien was left feeling like he was melting from the inside out. If a _tiger_ could smile like that then it would never want for food.

“Well if you _remember_ me teasing you then that's all the more reason for me to do it then-” She turned to Adrien and let her voice drop to a low purr. “Right kitten?” she asked sweetly, her long sooty lashes flickering low as she looked at him.

Melting? Oh no, he didn't feel like melting anymore. He was burning **alive**.

His future-self sighed and surrendered, throwing his arms up in defeat and stalking over to the sixteen year old girl watching the conversation and trying not to laugh at her flirty partner’s stunned and helpless expression.

“It seems I'm in your care once more little bug,” the man told her once he got close. He put a hand up to his chest and bowed dramatically. “Please be _gentle_ with me this time.”

“No promises,” she grinned. “Hero work is rough on the fur, or so I'm told.”

 

Future-Chat  glanced back to cast his partner a last wary look. “ _Don't_ overexert yourself,” he ordered sternly.

“I won't,” she satiated, releasing her prisoner to flash his future self a softened smile. “I'll be extra careful.”

He nodded and vaulted up to the roof just in time for the first crashes and screams to be heard. His temporary partner quickly followed with a flick of her yoyo.

 

And just like that, Adrien was alone with the future Ladybug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next update could be awhile. It's another one I don't have a lot written for. 
> 
> I'll TRY for next week (Feb 3rd or Feb 4th) But I think a more solid estimate could be around Feb 11th. I'll let you guys know if it ends up running late. 
> 
> In the mean time, If you need something to read and you want to help pick which story I work on next then check out the links below and let me know which was your favorite! 
> 
> Almost: https://punapurreciator.tumblr.com/post/182167901128/almost-wip  
> Paint The Town Red: https://punapurreciator.tumblr.com/post/182168808443/paint-the-town-red  
> Let Me: https://punapurreciator.tumblr.com/post/182170074268/let-me
> 
> Edit: Feb /11 
> 
> Im running late on that update :/ i didnt really take into consideration how busy id be the last couple weeks and it all caught up to me.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So... you're on a temporary leave right now?”

“Hello, Adrien.”

It was a shock and a half hearing his real name come from Ladybug's mouth. Even if this wasn't really _his_ Ladybug. At least not yet.

He gave a thick gulp. “He-H-hello,” came his meek reply.

Oh _god_ , without the others around his confidence was taking an unapproved **vacation**. He could feel his hands shaking at his sides and his tail twisting anxiously. “So I… Y-You need me for s-something?”

She smiled, gentle, fond and sweet, and he found himself going weak at the knees.

“I do. But first, let's go somewhere a bit quieter. Your future self will throw a _hissy_ fit if I stay too close to the fight.”

He nodded and fumbled to get out his baton.

She let out a giggle at the sight, and it sounded so _like_ and yet so _unlike_ his own lady's that he hit the extend button too soon and _would_ have accidentally knocked himself in the face if she hadn’t moved so quickly.

 

In an instant, she'd knocked the staff off course and held it firmly away from his head. He stood there frozen, face beet red with embarrassment.

“No need for that kitten," she murmured. He felt her breath move his hair and it forced a painful shudder through him.

"I’m not eager to go rooftop hopping right now anyway.” She released his weapon and backed away. He (carefully and slowly) put it away.

“We'll walk." She tilted her head. "If that's alright with you?”

He managed a nod and the two of them walked into a branching alley at a quick pace.

He was shaking, his heart was pounding and he couldn't tear his eyes from her back as he walked, but somehow he didn't trip and fall on his face. He counted that as a _miracle_.

In the background, he started to hear the sound of more crashes and even explosions. It felt strange _not_ rushing toward the fight when he could clearly hear one. But the thought was honestly a distant one.

He could hear her heels click against stone as she walked. The sound somehow cut through the chaos in the background and settled somewhere in his spine.

“So... I hear that y-you're on a temporary leave right now?” he hazarded softly.

She glanced back at him with a soft smile. “I am. More or less.”

“But you look… well.”

‘Well’ was probably the biggest understatement of his _life_ . She looked like a freaking _goddess_. How in the HELL did his future self get her to marry HIM? Did he _beg_?

“I _am_ well,” she confirmed with a teasing smile.

 _Oh_ , he'd beg. 

“B-But you can't go on roofs?”

“More like I _prefer_ not to.”

“But _why_?”

“Because I'm _admittedly_ more fragile than usual at the moment, and the future-you would worry if I pushed myself.”

Betrayal pulsed through every nerve in his body. “He _said_ you weren't hurt or sick!” he objected.

“And technically, I'm not.” she replied, cool as anything. “But that doesn't mean I _can't_ get hurt or sick in my current condition.”

“I don't _understand_ ,” he bit out, near pleading with her. “How am I supposed to not _worry_ about you if that's all the information you give me?!”

She paused, considering.

“...I’m in the process of making something,” she allowed eventually.  “Something that takes a lot of my energy. Something very special. And once I'm finished, my health will no longer be in jeopardy.” she smiled at him again. “So see? No reason to fret little Kitten.”

She turned back around and resumed walking. He hesitantly trailed behind.

He struggled not to ask more but well... It wasn't like she'd necessarily shut him _down_ yet. He swallowed thickly. “W-what is it? That you’re making?”

“Sorry kitty cat, no more hints,” she teased lightly. “I want it to stay a _surprise_ okay?”

His cat ears perked the littlest bit. “Is it a surprise for _me_?” he wondered aloud, half disbeleiving.

“Oh _definitely_ ,” she laughed lightly.

They turned a corner and she stopped to look around. It was so sudden he almost bumped into her back.

“I think we're good here.”

“We didn't go that far..?”

“I have a good feeling about this spot,” she assured him, moving forward to sit on the sill of a boarded up window.  He joined her after a moment of nervous hesitation.

“So, down to business.” She looked him over seriously. “I’d like to cast a luck spell for you.”


End file.
